How to Have an Amazing Winter RV Road Trip

How to Have an Amazing Winter RV Road Trip

For many, the thought of winter and its colder temperatures conjures up images of sitting at home, sipping hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire. For others, though, “winter” simply means another season to go RVing. If you’ve never really considered taking your RV out for a trip during the winter months, then you’ve never realized the potential of your vehicle. Yes, it does take some skill, knowledge, and preparation to do it right. But, with a little bit of work, and help from Kirkland RV you can get your RV ready for a winter trip—one that will introduce a whole new side of RVing and nature to you that you’ve never experienced before!

Winterizing Your RV

Of course, unless you’re planning to just head as far south as possible, the first thing you have to do is have an RV that can handle the colder temperatures. While most RVs are perfectly fine for the milder temperatures in spring and fall, and even for the warmer temperatures of summer, the frigid wind and weather of winter brings with it its own challenges. While you can do as little or as much as you’d like to get ready, the following are what we consider to be “essential” modifications to get the most out of your time on the road.

SealingCold temperatures are really good at finding ways to enter your RV. The first thing you need to do is go over the entire frame to check for leaks. This includes the obvious places like doors and windows, but there are a lot of seams in an RV, and even a negligible opening can let out precious heat. Get some caulking or weather stripping to reinforce these areas, and make sure your windows and doors are sealed up tight!

SkirtingThe next thing you need to do is get a skirt to go around the bottom of your RV. These skirts—usually made of vinyl are useful in protecting the bottom of your RV from the colder temperatures that can whip around in a storm. They also help provide you with a little more outside storage.

Heated HosingDid you know you can modify your plumbing to help your water avoid freezing? There are several things you can do, but the most useful and one of the easiest is to simply buy a heated hose. These hoses run on AC power, hook right up to your existing water hookups, and helps to provide you with running water, even when the temperature outside gets below freezing.

Preparing for Your Trip

Once you think you’ve got your RV ready to withstand the cold, make sure you also pack and prep accordingly. You already know you should have things like heavy coats and warm shoes— but that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about preparing for emergencies. Think about it— a flat tire in the dead of winter, when traffic is much lighter and conditions aren’t as safe, presents a whole new host of problems. Make sure you’ve stored extra provisions in the form of repair kits, first aid, and other safety equipment. If some sort of emergency happens and you find yourself miles from nowhere in light traffic, you might be in for a bit of an ordeal.

Choosing a Destination

So, now that you’re ready, where should you go? Well, anywhere, really. But before you pick a random spot and head out, make sure of a few things.

Open?
The first (and most important) piece of information to know is whether or not your RV destination is even open. Not all places stay open, and there are many popular warm-weather resorts that close for months at a time once the snows set in. Call in advance—don’t be surprised by showing up to a locked gate!

Accessible?Even if a place is open, that doesn’t mean the roads leading to it are always accessible by all vehicles. Do a bit of homework first and make sure that your RV can make the trip.

Amenities?Even if a place is open, that doesn’t mean it will be offering the full run of normal amenities. Again, planning is the time to do your research and make sure that taking that drive in more hazardous conditions is going to be worth your time. It does you no good to show up, only to find that, while the campsites are open, nothing else is.

In Conclusion

If you think this article is making it sound like winter camping is a bit more work — then you’re right. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth the memories you’ll create, though. It does take extra preparation, and it comes with its own dangers. But if you are prepared and ready, you can truly find the joys that winter RVing can bring. If you have questions on getting your RV winter camping ready, contact us and we can help you.

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“Kirkland RV is a good place to get an RV that works. They guaranteed the RV for a month or at least an initial trip and we had an inverter go bad on us right away. Took it back and they removed it and had it rebuilt free of charge along with a few other fixes. We are loving our RV now and can whole heartedly recommend them.”